PETITION TO WARDEN KENRICK. Re Excessive Rents Charged by Thames High School.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 92, 7 March 1885, Page 2

PETITION TO WARDEN KENRICK. Re Excessive Rents Charged by Thames High School.

On Monday la9t Messrs D. Murphy and H. McLiver waited upon Mr Warden Kenrick, and laid behre him the following petition, signed by a number of the residents of Waiorotigomai : — Waiouongomai, March 3rJ, 1885. To the Warden of the Te Aroha .Goldfield, Te Aroha. We, the undersigned residents in the town of Waioronyomai, holding sections under lease from the Board of Governors of the Thames High School, wish to bring before your notice the very great hardships under which many *f us are labouring in being subject to the excessively high rental of £h per annum for allotments originally intended as business sites, but not being required as such j have been utilised as residence sites. We are of opinion thntthe business portions of the town bearing a rental of £5 per annum per allotment has always been out of all proportion to the requirements of the place, and the residence sites proportionally small. The consequence of this has been that many of us have been obliged to take up as resilience sites what were mapped down as' business sites, and have had to pay , the higher rent. . Believing this faqt has had; a very, prejudicial effect upon the progress of the place, and if still ad-hered-to, will have- the still further effect 6f 'causing ffianjf of these allotments to be given ''up ; we ask you, therefore, io ! use, on our behalf, your influence with the Board of Governors with a , view of , obtaining for a period,, of twelvemonths a reduction to 20s of the rent on all allotments in this town, 'which are at present used simply as residence sites. ,sy,the.end of that time w.e arein hopes, that the prospects of the, goldfield will have, {considerably, improve 1, arid (that more allotments will be required as busi- ; ness sites than at .present.

The deputatydn strongly supported the petifion. an»l JaitJ before the garden facts in xsonfirraafcioij of their, statements, and evidencing" the present unfair position of affairs. In reply, Mr Ken rick admitted he considered himself that t was a srreat hardship for so many persona to have to pay £5 a year for grounJ occupied as residence sites only, and he also considered that far too mnny business' sites were laid off" 'at the first at Waiorongomai. He promised to lay the matter before the Governors of the /Thames HigS School, ' arid Utotild certainly recommend then) to accede to tne request. We understand His Worship also prouised to slay', all proceedings now being taken for the recovery of arrears of rent, pending a reply. Without a doubt the request made is most reasonable and just, and we can hardly suppose that the High School Governors will do other than grant the prayer of the petition referred to, as they must be fully aware of the present depression.